Headspace and Farm League Tackle the ‘Meh’ in January in Lighthearted Campaign

Mindfulness and meditation app Headspace has teamed up with creative film company Farm League for its  new campaign, ‘Meh-uary’. The playful spot brings a lighthearted approach to the stresses of everyday life and in particular, the post-holiday blues that are prevalent throughout January. 

Directed by Tim Wheeler through Farm League, the team worked with creatives at Headspace to conceptualise a campaign that would highlight how the Headspace app can help users navigate the many varied stresses of everyday life, whether that be in January or any month of the year. ‘Meh-uary’, draws on the idea that January is often considered the ‘Monday of Months’, with the dreaded return to work, post-holiday blues, pressures of new year’s resolutions and cold, darker days which can all result in added stress.

Contributing factors to stress have a unifying element - relatability. The best, most effective comedy comes from something that is true that people can connect with. Audiences, therefore, are more likely to act upon something that they have seen if it has resonated with them on a personal level. Viewers empathise with protagonist Leanne, as she exasperatedly drags the Christmas tree to the bin or sits stuck in traffic, as the film draws attention to the accessibility of Headspace as a way of tackling those all too familiar stresses.

In order to reflect the ‘meh’ feeling of January, the composition of the spot made use of cold, uninviting colours; the office lighting was too harsh and fluorescent, the red beams of surrounding traffic felt intrusive and the outside was damp and uncomfortable. In contrast, as Leanne returns home and opens Headspace, warmth is introduced to the colour palette, a shift which is evident to the viewer as Leanne begins to feel comfortable and at-ease for the first time during the day.

Tim Lynch, founder of Farm League, commented “The theme of mindfulness and mental health is so important to us at Farm League and we really enjoyed our partnership with Headspace on the previous round, so it was exciting to have the opportunity to collaborate on a film that took that foundation to the next level.”

Tim also added "Working with the creatives Neal and Eric, as well as the entire internal creative team at Headspace was a very collaborative process. It truly was a free flow of ideas and they were very trusting and receptive to me helping to shape the creative both visually and from a story standpoint. From the minute the brief came in, to being on set, and all the way through post, it felt like one continuous creative brainstorming session."